Your guide to 20 Des Moines metro breweries, taprooms and their craft beers
The craft brewery industry in the Des Moines area just keeps growing. Now 20 breweries call the region home.
In 1996, Court Avenue Brewing Co. opened its doors and remains the oldest in the metro area. Confluence and Exile celebrated a decade in business in 2022, and others such as 515 Brewing and Brightside Aleworks have stuck around.
The region’s not done with breweries quite yet. The newest trend brings Toppling Goliath from Decorah to Des Moines in 2025. Other established breweries such as SingleSpeed from Cedar Falls, Big Grove from Solon and Backpocket from Coralville opened taprooms in the Des Moines metro as well.
Here's a guide to the Des Moines-area producers making their mark on the local beer scene, pulling pints and filling growlers for those ready to move past domestic liter lagers. Bonus: We included the bike trails nearest them.
1st Down Brewing Co.
Former Iowa State University long snapper Sam Anker opened this nanobrewery and taproom in the historic downtown district in Winterset in 2021.
Find it: 1st Down Brewing Co., 106 E. Court Ave., Winterset; 515-462-2980
More: Former Iowa State football player opens 1st Down Brewing Company in Winterset
515 Brewing Co.
Friends Dave Ropte, Ryan Rost, Brandon Criger and Bailey Forrest opened 515 Brewing Co. in March 2013 and by June 2015 already expanded to add seven new barrels. Try the Mexican Spring Wheat Beer, Li'l Tart Sour, or DSM Pils Pilsner.
Find it: 515 Brewing Co., 7700 University Ave., Suite C, Clive; 515-661-4615
Nearby trail: Clive Greenbelt Trail
More: Iowa brewery brings home gold medal from world’s largest beer competition
Backpocket Pin & Pixel
Backpocket Pin & Pixel, an 8,000-square-foot taproom in the Johnston Town Center, features beer brewed from its original Coralville location, a restaurant, a retro arcade with 40-plus games and a six-lane duckpin bowling alley. Try one of the core beers such as Gold Coin Helles Gold Lager, Slingshot Dunkel Dark Lager, Raygun IPA, or Bubba Hazy IPA.
Find it: Backpocket Pin & Pixel, 6205 Merle Hay Road, Johnston; 515-666-1281
Nearby trail: Trestle Trail
More: New Johnston brewery, Backpocket Pin & Pixel, set to open in the new year
BackRoad Brewery
Marine Corps veteran and retired Des Moines police officer Eric Moorman opened BackRoad Brewery in 2017. The Carlisle-based nanobrewery serves a rotation of blonde ales, stouts, IPAs and seasonal brews from its location inside Johnny & Mike’s Pizza.
Find it: BackRoad Brewery, Johnny & Mike’s Pizza, 130 S. First St., Carlisle; 515-210-2096
Nearby trail: Summerset Trail Head
More: Beer brewed in Carlisle offered at a bar near you
Barn Town Brewing
Des Moines native Pete Faber opened his Barn Town Brewery in West Des Moines in 2017. The University of Iowa grad stocked his brewpub with a 1955 Ford F-100 above the bar, recycled wood and tin from Iowa barns on the walls, handmade wood carvings of the American and Iowa flags and a mural of Iowa made from beer cans on the south wall. Neon Hazy, Iowa Gold, Groovy Ruby Grapefruit IPA, and Classic Amber are always on the menu.
Find it: Barn Town Brewing, 9500 University Ave #1110, West Des Moines; 515-978-6767
Nearby trails: Clive Greenbelt Trail and Heart of the Warrior Trail
More: See Des Moines area's newest brewpub — Barn Town Brewing
Big Grove Brewery
The 12,000-square-foot taproom in Sherman Hill houses a 15-barrel brewery that pumps out a menu of new beers not found at Big Grove’s original home in Solon or taproom in Iowa City. It also features a full-service restaurant with healthy dishes from executive chef Benjamin Smart. A 12,000-square-foot patio adjoining the taproom offers views of the downtown Des Moines skyline. Its Easy Eddy, a hazy IPA with hints of pineapple and mango, as well as Arms Race, the brewery’s classic pale ale with a hoppy punch, are two of its most popular beers.
Find it: Big Grove Brewery & Taproom, 555 17th St., Des Moines
Nearby trail: MLK Jr. Trail
More: How late can you buy beer in Iowa? All your Iowa liquor law questions answered
Big Rack Brew Haus
Aaron Oviatt opened this brewery in Winterset using equipment from Twisted Vine Brewery, where he learned how to brew beers. Look for beers such as Snakebite IPA, Killer-Watt Citrus Wheat, and Hillbilly Lager.
Find it: Big Rack Brew Haus, 2475 Hiatt Apple Trail Road, Winterset; 515-468-0012
More: Big Rack Brew Haus in Madison County inspired by West Coast hunting and fishing trips
Brightside Aleworks
Andrew and Molly Frana opened Brightside Aleworks in Altoona in 2017 after Wing Nutts Brewery closed. While the couple were part of Wing Nutts, they wanted something with more of their personality in it. The menu notes which beers contain lactose or are vegan.
Find it: Brightside Aleworks, 480 Center Place, Altoona; 515-967-9989
Nearby trail: Gay Lea Wilson Trail
More: Brightside Aleworks to open in Altoona
Confluence Brewing Co.
John Martin always had a dream to brew his own beer, and in 2012, he opened Confluence on Thomas Beck Road while the brewery industry was still in its infancy in Iowa. He teamed up with Greg Schultz to open the brewery, now one of the leaders in the Iowa beer scene with 36 beers on tap and four-packs for sale. Some of the brewery’s most famous include Milk Man Stout and Farmer John’s Multi-Grain Ale.
Find it: Confluence Brewing Co., 1235 Thomas Beck Road, Des Moines; 515-285-9005
Nearby trails: Meredith Trail and Kruidenier Trail
More: How Confluence Brewing created one of Iowa’s favorite beers
Court Avenue Brewing Co.
The granddaddy of Des Moines breweries got started back in 1996 after a 1993 flood left the building that originally housed a saddlery when it opened in 1881 vacant. CABCo, as it’s affectionately called, celebrates Iowa’s beer history with labels and décor touting defunct breweries of the past. Find 11 beers on tap, including Honest Lawyer IPA, Don't Call Neil Pale Ale and BA Chocolatariat Imperial Stout.
Find it: Court Avenue Brewing Co., 309 Court Ave., Des Moines; 515-282-BREW
Nearby trails: MLK Jr. Trail and Meredith Trail
More: Happy 20th! Court Avenue Brewing Co. led district revival
Exile Brewing Co.
Exile owner R.J. Tursi helped put the Des Moines beer scene on the map when he opened his brewery in the historic F.W. Fitch Building in 2012. A decade later and fans can find gold lager Ruthie, dark lager Gigi and Bavarian-style wheat Hannah in the brewpub on tap or in stores across the Midwest.
Find it: Exile Brewing Co., 1514 Walnut St., Des Moines; 515-883-2337
Nearby trails: Meredith Trail and MLK Jr. Trail
More: Exile Brewing aims to sell craft beer in stores
Fenders Brewing
Fenders co-owners Steve Crann and Jason Madison founded the brewery in 2016 in Polk City, opening the taproom doors in December 2017 next to Papa's Pizzeria. Find beers on tap, such as Big Creek Blonde, Morning Ride Oatmeal Stout and 8:13 Pale Ale.
Find it: Fenders Brewing, 212 Van Dorn St., Polk City; 515-984-0011
Nearby trail: Neil Smith Trail
More: Meet the small-town Iowa brewers behind this year’s Beer Brackets winning ale
Firetrucker Brewery
Firetrucker opened in 2014 with co-owners Neil Zaugg, Scott Kaven and brewmaster Dan Heiderscheit, who died in 2020. The brewery occupies a former Ankeny firehouse at the head of the High Trestle Trail. Try the Brigade Ale, Burnout Brown Ale, or Tropical Burn mango double IPA.
Find it: Firetrucker Brewery, 716 S.W. Third St., Ankeny; 515-964-1284
Nearby trail: High Trestle Trail
More: Men turn passion for beer brewing into Ankeny business
Flix Brewhouse
A brewpub, movie theater and restaurant come together at Flix Brewhouse, which opened at Merle Hay Mall in 2014. The brewpub calls itself the first first-run movie theater and brewery combo in the world. Order a 10-Day Scottish Ale, Luna Rosa Wit, Nebulas Hazy IPA or Lucha Libre Mexican Lager while watching a blockbuster.
Find it: Flix Brewhouse, Merle Hay Mall, 3800 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines; 515-612-9200
More: Flix Brewhouse to open Dec. 17
Lua Brewing
Scott and Whitney Selix opened Lua Brewery in Sherman Hill with friend Zack Dunbar in 2019 with food from chef James Arbaugh, who worked at Michelin-starred Plumed Horse in Saratoga, California. Lua brews a long list of beers including Tulpa West Coast Pilsner, Cosmic Giggle Hazy Pale Ale, Loud as Hope hefeweizen and Frail, an English dark mild.
Find it: Lua Brewing, 1525 High St., Des Moines; 515-630-5311
Nearby trail: MLK Jr. Trail
More: First look: Lua Brewing Company brings traditional German beers to Des Moines
Reclaimed Rails
Dave Coy, the brewmaster at Reclaimed Rails, headed up Raccoon River Brewing Co. until it shuttered in 2014. JC Obrecht, Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Boka teamed up with Coy to open this Bondurant brewery in 2016. Flagship beers include Blood Orange Wheat, LED Soundsystem Vol. 4 IPA, and Rook's Breakfast Porter. Fun fact: the deck is made from wood from the former log ride at Adventureland.
Find it: Reclaimed Rails Brewing Co., 101 Main St. S.E., Bondurant; 515-777-1443
Nearby trails: Chichaqua Valley Trail and Gay Lea Wilson Trail
More: Ride the rails to Bondurant's new Reclaimed Rails
SingleSpeed Brewing
The SingleSpeed taproom in Des Moines includes a restaurant with a patio at the front, a bar area accessed by following a painted path through the restaurant, and a second larger patio with covered picnic tables, Adirondack chairs surrounding fire pits and games such as giant versions of Jenga and Connect 4 in the back, all with a view of Principal Park and downtown Des Moines. Tip the Cow milk stout, a New England-style IPA Whirled-Wide Haze and top-seller Gable, a Munich Helles named for legendary University of Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable, a Waterloo native, are on tap at the taproom.
Find it: SingleSpeed Brewing, 303 Scott Ave., Des Moines; 515-214-1879
Nearby trails: John Pat Dorrian Trail, Meredith Trail, and Des Moines River Trail.
More: SingleSpeed Brewery opens in Des Moines with two patios, fire pits and a beer just for DM
Twisted Vine Brewery
Twisted Vine moved into new space in the Market District south of the East Village. While the original West Des Moines location that opened in 2016 closed in 2022, the new location in the Market District of Des Moines pours favorites such as Twisted Blonde, Old Crusty's Scottish Ale, and Capital View K?lsch in the new location.
Find it: Twisted Vine Brewery, 112 S.E. Fourth St., Des Moines
Nearby trails: John Pat Dorrian Trail and SE Connector Trail
More: Twisted Vine Brewery to begin pouring craft beer in the Des Moines' Market District this summer
Uptown Garage Brewing Co.
Ankeny’s Uptown Garage Brewing opened in 2019 with an auto-themed brewery in a former Ford showroom and garage. Quirky touches include a 53-foot-long bar and tables made out of semi-truck flooring. Customers can sup Juicy Wagon IPA and Hop Nellie Pale Ale, along with about 30 other Iowa beers on tap.
Find it: Uptown Garage Brewing Co., 305 S.W. Walnut St., Ankeny; 515-630-6153
Nearby trail: High Trestle Trail
More: Uptown Garage Brewing Co. bringing auto-themed brewery to Ankeny's Uptown district
West Hill Brewing Co.
Indianola natives Doug and Heather Gaumer opened West Hill in 2019 and named it for a hill on their property. Inside, the couple decorated the space with a windmill from an uncle’s farm on Highway 65/69 and an old tandem bike the couple rides. Customers can order Gravel Travel Cream Ale, Field of Creams #13 IPA, and Coffee Star Trails Oatmeal Stout.
Find it: West Hill Brewing Co., 219 W. Salem Ave., Indianola; 515-962-5884
Nearby trails: McVay Trail and Summerset Trail
More: West Hill Brewing Company in Indianola the latest to join Iowa's craft beer scene
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Where to find the best breweries in the Des Moines metro area
